Thanks Paul, I appreciate the musings 
Yes, I think the dairy was the primary culprit. There is a concern, however, that a high-fat diet will stress the pancreas. High fat diets require the pancreas to secrete high levels of lipase as part of its exocrine function. The low carb component is certainly a benefit to the pancreas with regards to the endocrine function, I would surmise (though part of me wonders what long-term keto does to the body’s ability to manage the endocrine system effectively if carbs are re-introduced - are there studies or experiences with this that anyone knows about?).
For people who suffer from chronic pancreatitis (which I do not, yet), the prescribed diet is extremely low-fat, lean protein, and light, frequent food intake. Serious sufferers have to survive on liquid. The pancreas begins, over time, to digest itself and/or suffer from extreme inflammation if you over-tax it with difficult-to-digest foods. Pancreatitis is extremely painful - I have birthed three children naturally, and I would put the pain up at that level.
I have in the past 10 years (since my last bout of pancreatitis) eaten large quantities of fatty meats without much problem (though, in retrospect, my liver wasn’t too happy). I am not normally a consumer of lots of dairy… I drink about 1.5 cups of raw milk a day in my tea (over the course of the day), but cheese, yogurt, cream, etc, were rare in my diet.
I am going to start the journey into keto tomorrow, with a focus on lots of veggies, lean protein (chicken breast, fish, some lean pork) and get my added fat from MCT oil and coconut oil. These oils are now on the list of suggested items (in extreme moderation) for people with chronic pancreatitis as they tend not to trigger lipase production (or only limited lipase production?).
As for following up with my doctor-------- I have so many thoughts on that, it is hard to respond. The standard next step in my care would be a somewhat invasive internal MRI type scan that has a high tendency to puncture/penetrate/aggravate your pancreas and trigger acute pancreatitis. I am loathe to do this. The doctors recommend a variation on low fat/high carb diet. I do not believe, given my knowledge of my body, that this is good for me. My blood sugar swings wildly (I have suffered from hypoglycemia in the past and have had periods of tracking blood sugar). It has been a financial strain dealing with my medical issues, and the thought of trying to get an endocrinologist on board with a LCHF or even LC moderate fat diet is more than I think I am capable of at this point.
This is not to say I disagree with you - I think it would be sensible to monitor my numbers as I try this out. But I am not up to that challenge (I stay home with three small boys and cannot often get childcare for doctor’s visits). So, I will have to monitor my symptoms. I am setting up a tracking document and I am going to plan out my meals and see if I can figure out what my own limits are. The symptoms of pancreatitis are fairly clear, so I should be able to know if I am triggering a problem.
That being said - if anyone has walked this path before me, please please chime in! Or even if you haven’t, and you have thoughts, I am all ears. I have appreciated the comments thus far.
